Limitless: Trailer Review

Things that make this trailer successful:

1. Narrative: This trailer is very fast paced. It gets the viewer exited and focused. It uses many quick shots and transitions in order to catch the viewers attention and keep them interested. It uses dialogue to convey the plot. It does it in a way that tells you a bit about the story line but doesn't spoil anything. This is very important when creating a trailer. You don't want the viewer knowing the whole plot but you also don't want them confused over the storyline. This is key in a trailer and Limitless's sure pulls it off.

2. Mis en Scene (or Setting): This trailer gives great use of setting. It shows different locations, from urban slums to tropical islands. The trailer contains scenes in office buildings to night clubs. The use of setting draws the viewer in and shows them the nature of the film and where it takes place. using interesting settings such as a lit city or beach gives the viewer a feeling of excitement.

3. Cinematography: Different styles of cinematography are used throughout this trailer. For example, there is a scene of the main character in his room with a birds eye view from the wall. This kind of camera technique is not commonly used and expresses a warped reality showing us scenes we couldn't see through our own eyes. Shots like that add interest to the trailer and show us that the movie isn't flat. Complex camera angles and techniques draw in viewers and add interest.

4. Edit: Edit is used quite a lot in this trailer as well. In a way the editing compliments the cinematography and conveys messages not as easily sent without it. As an example, while the main character is walking, we see through his eyes in his point of view. We see warping around the buildings and people. This shows a warp in reality hinting that something isn't right or normal. Use of edit can really tie the knot of a trailer. It can really draw in the audience watching it

5. Sound Design: Music was always present in this trailer. it starts out average but follows the plot and soon gets fast paced. As conflict arises it stops for a moment showing the mood of the scene. It then moves onto a piece that is face paced and energetic again (Power - Kanye West). The music helps convey the theme of the piece and helps the audience understand what they are watching.

Fashion: A Changing World, Preproduction.

Purpose: The purpose of this documentary piece is to discover what's new in the world of fashion and design, who the leading competitors are, and predictions for the next season of clothing.
Contact: In order to get this piece in effect, i will need to contact The Fashion Institute of Design and Media in San FranciscoQuestions:
What role does fashion play in the world today?
What's new and upcoming in the world of fashion?
How are these changes impacting you as a designer?
Who are the designers that are in “the lead”?
Do you have any predictions for what we will be seeing during the spring/summer 2013 season
Shot List:
Shots of the Institute, Runway Footage, Designers at work, Fabrics, Classes Being Taught, Interview Shots, Various B-roll

General Flow:
“Fashion is an ever changing topic, you may think you know what's new, but as soon as you blink that changes. In order to cover some of the trends and fashion movements where better to go than San Francisco’s very own Fashion Institute of Design and Media. “FIDM” for short has around _______ students on their San Francisco campus alone, some of which may grow to be the next big things in the fashion world. We’re going to talk to a few to get their insights and opinions on varying subject related to the fashion world.For Example, What role does fashion play in the world today?”
Person 1 ____________
Person 2 ____________________
Person 3 _____________________
next set of questions follow and the people being interviewed answer them and so on

“We’ve learned a lot about the ever changing world of design. I hope you look forward to watching the world of fashion twist and turn as time goes on”
endScript:

Start off with quick shots of the city. Then a transfer to various runway shows, as well as the fashion institute. A shot or two of the people being interviewed	“Fashion is an ever changing topic, you may think you know what's new, but as soon as you blink that changes. In order to cover some of the trends and fashion movements where better to go than San Francisco’s very own Fashion Institute of Design and Media. “FIDM” for short has around _______ students on their San Francisco campus alone, some of which may grow to be the next big things in the fashion world. We’re going to talk to a few to get their insights and opinions on varying subject related to the fashion world.”
People being interviewed answer and shots correlating to their answers are shown. Cu of students interviewed.	For Example, What role does fashion play in the world today?” People being interviewed answer
People being interviewed answer and shots correlating to their answers are shown. Cu of students interviewed.	“What's new and upcoming in the world of fashion?” People being interviewed answer
People being interviewed answer and shots correlating to their answers are shown. Cu of students interviewed.	“How are the changes going to affect you as a designer” People being interviewed answer
People being interviewed answer and shots correlating to their answers are shown. Cu of students interviewed.	Who are the designers that are in “the lead”? People being interviewed answer
People being interviewed answer and shots correlating to their answers are shown. Cu of students interviewed.	Do you have any predictions for what we will be seeing during the spring/summer 2013 season People being interviewed answer

Production schedule not necessary (using wills concept due to lack of time)

Happy

Figure 1

What does it mean to be “happy”?

Figure 2

Happy is a documentary that aims to answer that very question. What makes one happy and how can we find this emotion most effectively? This purpose of this documentary is to profile many different individuals and find the answer to what makes us happy, and how we can get there. Whether you’re eight or eighty, Happy is the kind of film that will make you reevaluate your lifestyle and how you view the earth. This documentary makes great use of interview and scene location. Location is used throughout the film, and we see shots in unique places. For example, while interviewed about what makes him happy, a Louisianian tour guide is interviewed on the bayou itself rather than in a room. (Figure 2  & 3)

Figure 3

This film focuses on what is really important and each scene has a deep strong message tied to it. There are few “Filler Scene” or scenes used to take up unnecessary time. The documentary Makes great use of Matching Audio and Footage as well. For Example, If a Person is talking about their pet, you can expect to see shot of the pet following the audio. The footage used has deep meaning to it. Going back to the example of the tour guide. We see shots of nature and open space. These shots are used to convey/symbolize freedom of mind and inner happiness. The documentary uses spontaneous interaction as well as scripted interaction. Throughout the film we see transitions being used. One unique transition is in the form of quick interview. Random people on the street were interviewed and asked “What they want in life?” all of them shared the same answer: “To be happy” (Figures 1, 4, and 5)

Figure 4

Figure 5

Not only are random individuals and accounts used for interview, but expert testimonies are used as well. Psychologists are often interviewed in this documentary in order to back up the claims by others. These “experts” give scientific proof to strengthen the points of others. Animation, charts and visuals are also used to show information. Use of narration is present in this film. A Narrator is present throughout the film and gives the audience facts, introduction to characters, and background information during the documentary. This documentary’ s main focus wasn't as much making an argument, as it was informing an audience about a subject. The documentary focused to teach viewers about happiness and how to achieve it.
The camera work on the documentary as a whole was not too major. They used a lot of still shots and handheld shots. Scenes had light pans and focuses but nothing too radical. From a filming perspective it was shot rather safely and this works. The nature of the film did not require intricate camera movements or techniques and worked fine without them.
Overall, I would say that this film was very effective. It taught viewers a lesson that benefited them. Its a documentary that really makes you ponder what you know and how you think. It teaches viewers about being thankful and what they can do to better enrich their lives. After watching this documentary i really did think about how i was living my life. If you’re looking for a documentary that'll make you think and give you that “feel good” attitude, look no further.

Soviet Montage and Realism

We owe a lot to the Russians, when it comes to film. Many Russian directors and editors were the first to venture out into the field of editing. They dabbled a lot on the theory of montage and explored techniques not yet seen at the time. For example, Pudovkin coined the concept of "Constructive Editing". He wanted to break out of classic editing and try something new. He started working with illusion. He could film a scene that gave the illusion of a man falling out of a building, when that didn't happen in reality. Pudovkin was very creative when it came to the idea of linking clips together. One effect created from this is well known as the Kulshov Effect. This editing technique consists of linking two shots, that when separated mean one thing, and combining them to give them a new meaning. An example is a shot of a man and a shot of a bowl of soup. Separated they don't mean much, but when they are put together you get the feeling that the man is hungry. Eisenstein, another Russian Filmmaker, took it a step further. Instead of combining simple shots, Eisenstein combined scenes. The most famous example of this is the Odessa Step Sequence. In this video you can see a shot of a baby rolling down a flight of stairs and a shot of a lady in shock. Separately then can mean one thing but when combined mean a whole new thing. We owe it to these Russian Filmmakers for their contributions to the editing world.

A French film critic, Andre Bazin, wasn't too keen on Classic and Formalistic film styles, however. He personally believed that montage was only one of the editing techniques that could be applied to film. He favored realism, and enjoyed the long shots and lack of edits. Him, alongside other realism enthusiasts, wanted to make films more realistic. That in itself, is the goal of Realism. In order to make Realism work, shots must be held very long. This helps the audience observe the surroundings and become familiar with the setting.

Realism/Classicism/Formalism

In this post we will review two classic films, "The Arrival of a Train" and "Damsel in Distress". We will go over the film styles and the concepts of Realism,Classicism, and Formalism.
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Arrival of a Train

This film is simple to say the least. The title speaks for itself. This film is what it says it is: the arrival of a train. It follows a very realistic perspective. This means simply that the shot is held in one place, there are no edits, and it is just one cut. This form of filming/editing is not as commonly used today. You may have experienced, as you were watching, that you felt uncomfortable. The challenges of extended shots, such as this one, are that if held to long, it may leave the audience feeling uneasy.

Damsel in Distress

This film is the polar opposite of "Arrival of a Train". It consists of many quick cuts and shots in different locations. The editing is very classic and is always moving. The story shows many different points of view and contains different locations and characters. One thing to look out for while filming and editing in this style is to make sure not to make scenes too quick. If cut too quick, it may leave the audience confused and give them headaches.

Fame: Step Outline

A man is putting a lot of work into what looks like music production. His back is facing the camera and over his shoulder we can see intricate recording software and tools.	This shows that the man is very into his work. Its not just a hobby but something larger.
Alarm clock sounds for 4:30 am. Man shut off clock and continues to work as the shot fades to black	This scene reveals his dedication which reinforces his hard work ethic.
It is now bright out/the morning and we see the man asleep on the desk with all the production tools still out. Narration cuts in. “Looks pretty pathetic if you ask me. That man you’re looking at, that was me 5 months ago”	This scene introduces the character and shows us that this is a personal story told from a reflective viewpoint.
The main character gets up, looking groggy, and checks his watch. His clothes are dirty and he looks like a wreck. The narrator explains his dream of becoming a musical artist.	This scene introduces the characters dreams/goals. It gives us a better insight on the main character and it shows us that he is not living a comfortable life
After the narration, the main character picks up his phone and sees that he has 5 missed calls. He dials the number and talks to what sounds like his boss. He tells his boss he’s sorry he's late and that he got “caught up” and will be at the office soon	This scene adds further complication to the main characters life and shows us that he’s facing many challenges.
Narration: “Work was a drag like always... but I was almost done. My first single would soon be released and my dreams would come true” The main character gets back and finishes his single	This rising action makes us happy for the protagonist and we rejoice with what sounds like great news. Things sound like they are piecing together.
Narration: “Or thats what I thought...” He posts his first single and it gets nowhere. He gets a handful of views on the single and thats it. “Fame seemed so close, yet it was so far. The single would stay unknown for another six weeks”	This was quick burst of hope which looked like a resolution to the problem. However, we learn nothing changes and his life still goes on. “Another six weeks” foreshadows the future and what will happen.
“Thats when I got the message...” We see a shot that shows *1 New Message* on his email from a mysterious source. “Thats when things changed”	More foreshadowing leading to rising action. We wonder what might happen and we may start to make predictions.
The main character gets out of his car in front of an old sketchy looking building while the narration explains that he got an email from a strange company telling him to come there if he “wanted his dreams to become a reality”. He talks on the phone reassuring someone that it'll be fine and that he's safe.	This scene shows us another glimpse of hope. However, this is a strange one. The music gives a sense of uneasiness and the reassurance on the phone shows us that the main character feels unsure as well. It is unknown as to what is inside and what will happen.
He opens the door. Its extremely dim and vision is limited inside. He can faintly see a table and someone sitting at the other end of it. He says “Hello?” and hears a voice calmly say “Yes. come in”	This brings an extreme feeling of the unknown. We don't know who is the man on the other side of the table or what else may be in the room.
The mysterious man asks “So you want the fame, the fortune?”. The main character replies “Yes.” and the man replies “I can give it all to you... But there is a price”	This is rising action. We learn that the man isn't an ordinary person. He may know higher ups, he may have connections, or something else, completely unknown.
The man explains “The music industry isn't just a game. Fame doesn't just happen on its own. Everything has a reason” The main character asks “W-Who are you?” The man chuckles. “I go by many names, but that is not important now”	We learn a deeper truth in this scene. Part of the unknown is revealed to the character and audience, however we are still missing important pieces. Who is that man and what is he hiding?
The man slides a piece of paper into the main characters vision and a pen along with it. He proclaims “Would you trade your life for but a moment’s pleasure?” The main character is silent “Are you willing to trade your soul for earthly fame?”	A giant twist is presented to the character and the audience. We learn that this is no normal man. The character is facing his biggest challenge/choice yet. He must decide what he really wants and what his dreams are really worth.
The man explains that with this contract he will be granted all the worldly desires he could ask for but in return when his death comes he will forever be a slave in the afterlife. The character picks up the pen and thinks for a moment, unsure of his choice. The shot fades to black and we hear a pen click	We learn the true nature of this deal and what's really behind it. The man (most likely the devil) truly tests the character and he must decide what he really wants. With the cut to black, we are left in suspense and are unsure as to what his decision entailed.
Black background: “That was the toughest choice of my life” The shot opens of the main character getting dressed and buttoning up his shirt. He starts putting on a tie. “I don’t know how I came to my choice... but I know I made the right one” Music starts and the character is getting ready to leave. Before he leaves, we cut to a shot of him reaching for his wallet. A wallet packed with cash.	This scene can be taken as the aftermath of the climax or even somewhat of a resolution. We are still unsure of his choice and have no idea what he has done. There are no major clues. Only one...

Character Bio: Tom Haverford

Characters play a big part in Film. A good character can even be considered one of the most vital parts of filmmaking. Having a complex character isn't easy though and it may take some time to get the concept for a perfect character. In order to help pinpoint what makes a good character interesting and unique we are going to analyze an existing one. Tom Haverford is a character in the television series Parks and Recreation and is a perfect example of a unique character. We will focus on his character traits as well as a unique scene that reflects his character.

Appearence:
Not only is Tom characterized through his actions and emotions, but he is characterized through his clothing too. Matching a character to a specific wardrobe isn't always easy, but Tom Haverford sure looks like he knows what he's doing. Whether is a new suit from Brooks Brothers or a scarf from France, Tom is always on the top of his style game.

Language:

Although he works in the Parks Department, Tom Haverford is still a hip young man. He constantly introduces new lingo and slang throughout the office and makes sure his vocabulary is cooler than cool. Chances are, if you've heard a new term, Tom already knows it

             

Personality:
Tom is a business man by all means. He's had several sales ideas and wants nothing more than to make it as a successful businessman. Whether its a new cologne, called Tommy Fresh, or and bustling Entertainment Conglomerate, Tom always dreams big




Tom's business dreams take over when he quits working for the Parks Department in order to open up Entertainment 720, an entertainment conglomerate with no actual purpose. Tom and his buddy, JeanRalphio launch Entertainment 720 with the dreams of becoming rich. Tom and his friend, however, drive the company to the ground due to their obscene spending. Tom believes you have to spend money to gain money but he goes a little overboard when he and JeanRalphio waste all the money on useless things such as hiring hot model interns and installing a wall of shrimp. After the company goes bankrupt he moves back to the Parks Department, but hes still got an eye on business.